Press-feeding mechanism



w. H. NEE'DHAIVI.

PRESS moms MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED APR-13,1918- Patented July 11,1922.

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m v W! W. H. NEEDHAM. PRESS FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13, I918. l 422 6@5,

Patented July H, 1922 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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entree stares \VILLIAllI H. NEEDI-IAM, 0F W'QRCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR TO BOSTON PRESSED METAL (30., OF WORCESTER, IMASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORATION OF MAINE.

PRESS-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented July 11, 1922.

Application filed April 13, 1918. Serial No. 228,4 11.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1 WILLIAM H. NE'EDHAM, acitizen of the United States, residing at lVorcester, in the county ofW'orcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulPress-Feeding Mechanism of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding small articles such asbushings or ferrules to a press having a reciprocating plunger.

It is the common but dangerous practice to feed articles to such pressesby hand, placing each article separately in position in the path of theplunger. Many and serious accidents have resulted from this practice,the loss of one or more fingers by the operator often resulting It isthe general object of my invention to provide a mechanical feedingdevice fpr such machines, so designed that the article may be placed inposition in the feeding device at a point removed from the path of theplunger, said article being thereafter advanced to delivery positionautomatically and without risk to the operator.

lVith this general object in view, one feature of my invention relatesto the provision of a pair of holding jaws mounted on a slide andmovable alternately from receiving to delivery position. Provision ismade for opening said jaws to receive an article while in receivingposition, and the jaws are preferably yieldingly separable to permitremoval of the supported article when in delivery position.

Other features of my invention relate to improved devices for actuatingthe feeding I mechanism; to the provision of friction devices forpreventing overthrow of the feeding mechanism; and to the provision ofadjustable connections whereby thelocus of movement of'the'jaw-supporting slide may be changed.

Other features of my invention relate to arrangements and combinationsof parts hereinafter described and more particularly 7 pointed out inthe appended claims.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings, in wh1ch Fig.1 is a front elevation of a portion of a press having my improvedfeeding mecha nism mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a left-hand side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. l;

. has entered therein.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the nism with the holding tion;

Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the parts in receivingposition;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail plan view of the adjustable connections tothe operating cam lever;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation partly in section, taken along the line 6-6in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional'elevation taken substantially along theline 7-7 in Fig. a;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the connections between the slideand its operating. arm, and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan View of the holding jaws.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown portions of a press frame 10having a bed 11 upon which a die plate 12 is secured. A plunger or slide13 is mounted in guide ways 14 on the frame 10 and is reciprocatedtherein in the usual manner. A punch or die 15 of any desired form issecured in the plunger 13 and passes through a stripper plate 16 mountedon a fixed support 17. All of the parts thus far described may be of anyusual or desired type.

My improved feeding mechanism comprises a pair of holding jaws 20 (Figs.3 and 4) supported by resilient bars 21 which in turn are secured to aslide 22 movable in guide ways 23 (Fig. 7) I formed in a plate 24: fixedto the press bed 11. The resilient bars 21 may be reenforce'dbyadditional resilient strips 25 as shown in Fig. 3' if found desirable.

The outline of the holding jaws 20 is clearly shown in Fig. 9 andpermits easy removal of the supported article therefrom either byforcing the jaws apart as the article is moved downward or'by pullingthe jaws away from the article after the punch As the aws approach thereceiving position shown in Fig. 4, they are engaged by a stop 26adjustably secured to the plate 24 and adapted to separate the jaws whenin receiving position, thus permitting easy insertionof an articletherein.

The slide 22 is reciprocated by the plunger 13 through a series ofconnections which include a cam lever 27, an adjustable connecting link28, a lever 29, an arm 30, a rock shaft 31, and a lower arm 32 connectedto the slide 22. The cam lever 27 is mounted feeding mechaaws 1ndellvery posion a stud 33 fixed in the frame 10, and is actuated by acam roll 34 carriedv by a bracket 85 secured to the plunger 13.

The connections between the cam lever 27 and the link 28 are best shownin Figs. 5 and 6, in which it will be seen that the lower end of the camlever is provided with a slot 36 through which extends a cross shaft 37havthrough the hole 39. These connections permit the link 28 to move ina horizontal plane,

while at the same time driving connection is maintained between theswinging lever 27' and the link 28 bymeans of-the stud 40 and itssliding connection with the cross shaft 37.

The link 28 is adjustably connected with the lever 29 by means ofabearing block 41 adjusted by means of screws 42 and 43 within a recess44 formed in the link. A stud 45 (Fig. 6). is fixed in'the end of thelever 29 and has a bearing in the block41. The lever 29 is mounted on apivot 46 fixed in a framework connected to or integral with the plate24. The opposite end of the lever 29 is slotted at 47 to receive a roll48 mounted on the underside of the arm 80, which armis keyed orotherwise non-rotatably secured to the upper end of the rock shaft 31which has a fixedbearing'in a vertical post 49 secured to theplate 24.The lower arm 32 (Fig. 7 is rigidly secured to the lower end of theshaft 31.

Fiber friction washers 50 (Fig. 2) are interposed between the arm 30 andpost 49, and the friction may lie-adjusted by means of check nuts5l onthe upper end of the rockshaft-3li At its outer end the arm 32 (Figs. 7and 8) is provided with alug or projection 52' having parallel sides andextending into a recess 53in the lower end of a plug or sleeve 54rotatable is a vertical: opening or socket 55 inthe slide 22. Thisconnection permitsicontinuous action between the *slide 22 moving in astraight line, andthe end of the arm 32' which moves in the arc of-acircle.

' Having thus describedmy invention, I will briefly indicate theoperation thereof. As the. press plunger moves upward the roll 34engages the upper end of the cam lever 27, moving the lever to theposition shown in Fig. l and advancing the slide 22 and holding. j aws-20 to the fdelivery position shown inFig. 3. The exact locusaof thisdeliveryposition may be adjusted by means of the adjusting screws 42 and43 acting on the bearing block 41. As the plunger descendsthe punch ordie 15 enters the article held by the jaws and at the same time the roll34 engages the lower cam surface on the lever 27, moving the lever tothe position shown in Fig. 6, and withdrawing the slide to the receivingposition shown in Fig. 4.

Inv this position the jaws 20'are spread apart will be evident thatchanges and modifica tions can be made therein by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit and scope thereofas set forth inthe claims, and I donot wish to be otherwise limitedto the detailsherein disclosed, but what. I claim is 1. Press feeding mechanismhaving, in combination, separable holding jaws, a slide for said j aws,means to move said slide and ja ws alternately to receiving and deliverypositions, an adjustable stop effective to spread said jaws as theyapproach receiving position, and means to change the locus of themovement of said slide. 7

2. Press feeding mechanism having, in combination, separable holdingjaws, ,a slide for said jaws, and means-to move said 'slide and awsalternately to receiving and deliv-v ery positions, saidmeanscomprisinga lever mounted on a fixed pivot and havingsepm rated camsurfaces, a cam engaging device associated with the plunger of thepresseffestiveto positively engage said cam surfaces at different pointsin the travel of said plunger and to thereby rocksaid lever alternatelyin opposite directions, and 'opersaid arm, and a plug rotatable in asocket in said slide and having a slot closely fitting said lug. V w

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affiXed my signature.

VJILLIAM- NEEDHAM.

